PITMAN--After finishing as the 2016 NJAC regular season runner-up en route to a 21-14 overall record, Stockton University has been selected as the 2017 preseason women’s volleyball favorite in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. The Ospreys will be seeking their 13th league title since 1996.
The Ospreys, who received 3-of-the-10 first-place votes cast by the league head coaches, posted a 7-1 mark in league play during the 2016 season. Led by 12th-year head coach Allison Walker, Stockton has produced an overall record of 289-104 during her tenure in Galloway. Under the leadership of Walker, Stockton has captured nine total NJAC championships, including eight straight from a period of 2008 to 2014. In her 11 seasons at Stockton, Walker has also led the Ospreys to a mark of 83-4 in NJAC regular season conference play along with a record of 20-2 in NJAC Tournament matches. Stockton returns one all-conference player from its 2016 NJAC regular season runner-up squad in senior opposite site hitter Stephanie Kovacs.
Ramapo College, which claimed the 2016 NJAC regular season championship with a perfect 8-0 mark in league play, was selected to place second overall but received a league-high four first-place votes. The 2016 Roadrunners became the first NJAC team to receive an at-large selection to the NCAA Tournament since the automatic bid system was implemented in NCAA Division III. Ramapo advanced to the NCAA second round after a first round victory over Hunter en route to a 25-6 overall record. Led by the 2016 NJAC Coach of the Year in Rob Pichardo, the Roadrunners have produced a 246-128 record during his 12 seasons in Mahwah, while Pichardo’s career collegiate coaching record stands at 346-172. Ramapo returns one all-conference player from its NJAC regular season championship squad, the 2016 NJAC Player of the Year, senior outside hitter Larysa Iwaskiw.
Montclair State University, which captured the 2016 NJAC Championship en route to a 26-9 overall record, was selected to place third and received two first-place votes. The 2016 Red Hawks notched a 6-2 record in conference play for a third-place regular season finish before capturing the league crown with tournament wins over Rutgers-Newark, Stockton and Ramapo during a five-day span. Led by seventh-year head coach Eddie Stawinski, MSU has produced an overall record of 120-75 during his tenure. The Red Hawks return a pair of all-conference players from their 2016 NJAC title team in senior outside hitter Hayley Merrill and junior setter Ashley Griffith.
The coaches’ dark horse selection, Kean University has been selected to place fourth. The 2016 Cougars finished 21-12 overall after notching a fourth-place finish in the NJAC regular season with a 5-3 mark in conference play. Head coach Don Perkins has guided Kean to a 153-126 mark during his eight seasons while also leading the Cougars to the NJAC Tournament semifinals for five straight years. The Cougars return a league-high three all-conference players from the 2016 season, including junior outside hitter Vikki Stec, senior middle hitter Sara Ridgway, and the 2016 NJAC Rookie of the Year in sophomore middle hitter Jesse Larkin.
Rowan University, under the leadership of fourth-year head coach Deana Jespersen, was selected to place fifth. Jespersen has guided the Profs to 36 wins during her first three seasons in Glassboro, giving her 220 collegiate coaching victories for her career. Rowan returns one all-conference player from a 2016 team that finished 9-23 overall and 4-4 in conference in sophomore outside hitter Megan Jacobi.
Rutgers University-Newark, which earned a selection to the ECAC Tournament in 2016, was selected to place sixth. The 2016 Scarlet Raiders also earned a berth in the 2016 NJAC Tournament as the league’s sixth seed. Second-year head coach Megan Knott guided Rutgers-Newark to a 15-14 overall record during her rookie season of 2016. The Scarlet Raiders return a pair of all-conference players from their 2016 ECAC Tournament squad, including senior setter Karolina Kopacz and senior libero Sue Riley.
Rutgers University-Camden, which earned a berth in the 2016 ECAC Tournament en route to a 16-16 overall record, was selected to finish seventh. Third-year head coach David Gurst has guided the Scarlet Raptors to 29 victories during his first two seasons in Camden.
William Paterson University, under the direction of 39th-year head coach Sandy Ferrarella, was selected to place eighth. Ferrarella is the longest tenured NJAC women’s volleyball coach and the second-longest tenured NJAC coach in any sport behind only her departmental colleague Ed Gurka, the head women’s and men’s swimming & diving coach at William Paterson. Ferrarella has led the Pioneers to an overall record of 659-400 during her career, including a mark of 14-13 in 2016.
New Jersey City University, which earned a berth in the 2016 ECAC Tournament, was selected to finish ninth. Under the leadership of fourth-year head coach Robert Cole, the Gothic Knights have recorded 35 victories, including an overall record of 15-15 in 2016.
The 36th season of NJAC women’s volleyball will get under way on Friday, September 1 with five NJAC teams in non-conference action. Conference play will begin just 11 days later with the first league matches scheduled for Tuesday, September 12.
The top six regular season finishers will advance to the 2017 NJAC Championship Tournament which will begin with first round action on Tuesday, October 31. The NJAC Tournament semifinals will be conducted on Thursday, November 2, and the league championship match will be played at the site of the highest remaining seed on Saturday, November 4. The winner of the NJAC Tournament receives the conference’s automatic qualification to the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament.
2017 NJAC Women's Volleyball
Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Stockton (3)
2. Ramapo (4)
3. Montclair State (2)
4. Kean (dark horse)
5. Rowan
6. Rutgers-Newark
7. Rutgers-Camden
8. William Paterson
9. New Jersey City
(first place votes in parenthesis)